On Media

The key detail in the ABC-Holmes dispute

By DYLAN BYERS

07/23/2012 06:52 PM EDT

So Arlene Holmes claims she was referring to herself when she told ABC News, "You have the right person," and ABC News claims she was referring to her son, the suspect in last week's Colorado theater shooting.

The key variable in this dispute is the absence of any audio recording. Standing by its reporter, Matthew Mosk, ABC now reports that Holmes's family attorney Lisa Damiani decided to hold today's press conference only after learning there was no audio recording of Mosk's phone conversation with Arlene.

That will be a crucial detail in court, because based on ABC's version of events Arlene has already acknowledged her son was the shooter.